Card filing device



y 1966 N. PER MATHIESEN 3,250,274

CARD FILING DEVICE Filed March 22, 1963 INVENTOR fl 'aahzzs fermzlesece 3,250,274 CARI) FILING DEVICE Nicolaus Per Mathiesen, 1512 Primm Ave., San Jose 22, Calif.

Filed Mar. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 267,135 3 Claims. (Cl. 12916) This invention relates to card filing devices and, more particularly, to a magnetic card filing device of the type in which a plurality of cards arranged in face-to-face relation, and each provided with a magnetic area, are caused to separate or fan out" due to magnetic repulsion between the like magnetic poles induced in their respective magnetic areas by a permanent magnet incorporated in the drawer, tray or device in which the cards are supported.

Magnetic card filing devices of the general character mentioned have been known for some years, and are the subject matter of several United States patents issued to the present applicant. In all such devices, however, the cards have been provided with magnetic inserts, usually of soft iron, adjacent each of their lateral edges, and the supporting devices in the form of drawers or trays have been provided with permanent magnets extending lengthwise adjacent each side thereof. Such devices have been relatively complex, heavy and expensive and the cards, also, have been relatively expensive in comparison with ordinary index cards. The general object of the present invention is to provide a combination of magnetic card filing devices and cards for use therein of very simple and inexpensive construction while nevertheless retaining all or most of the advantages of said earlier devices.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card filing device comprising, in combination, a card support having a horizontal surface on which is secured a single elongated permanent magnet having its poles directed upwardly and downwardly, respectively, and a plurality of cards each having a magnetic area adjacent its lower edge which cards, when supported on said surface, are caused to fan out by magnetic repulsion between the magnetic areas of adjacent cards.

The external field of a permanent magnet attracts magnetic material in such manner as to provide the easiest possible path for the lines of magnetic force extending between the respective poles of the magnet. In the case of a card having a magnetic area, the card is not necessarily attracted to the magnet in such a way that the magnetic area will be centered upon one of the poles of the magnet but, rather, there is a tendency for the magnetic area of the card to take a position partly against a magnet pole and partly extending laterally thereof so as to provide an easier path for the lines of force passing through said magnetic area to the opposite pole of the magnet. Thus, there is a tendency for such a card to move laterally or endwise in the plane of the card, so that a group of such cards, arranged in juxtaposition to the magnet, tends to display a ragged or imperfect alignment. A feature of the present invention is the provision, centrally of the lower edge of each card, of a notch adapted to co-operate with an elongated member secured to the card support and overlying the magnet thereon, so as to restrain such endwise movements of the cards. Another feature resides in the provision of one or more additional notches in the bottom edge of each card so that the cards may be manually adjusted out of alignment, to one side or the other, for ready reference or for other purposes, such card retaining this position until manually readjusted into the aligned position.

Separate objects of the invention consist in the provision of a card filing device for use with cards of the char- United States Patent "ice acter described, and the provision of cards for use with card filing devices of the character described.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a card filing device of the invention, provided with a group of cards also constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of an alternative form of card for usewith the card filing device of the invention.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and'detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that various changes and alterations are contemplated such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring to the drawings, the card filing device of the invention comprises generally a base 10, preferably of sheet metal having downturned lateral edges 11 and integral feet 12 at the respective ends thereof, the latter conveniently being formed by downwardly and inwardly bent flanges of the material forming the base 10. At either end of the device there is secured an upwardly extending end plate 13, which plates preferably diverge somewhat in an upward direction. Handle grips 14 may conveniently be formed on the outward surfaces of the end plates 13 by punching out a portion of the material of which the plates 13 are formed.

. The base 10 is provided adjacent either side edge with a felt strip 15 forsupporting the cards 16 on their lower edges 17. A permanent magnet 18 is disposed lengthwise of the upper surface of the base 10, the respective poles of the magnet being directed toward and away from said surface. Conveniently, the permanent magnet 18 may be constituted by a plurality of small ceramic magnets 18a, 18b, etc. arranged side by side with their like poles directed in directions, as shown. A plurality of strong magnets arranged in this fashion will not remain so, without restraint, since the north pole of each will be attracted to the south pole of its neighbor. The small magnets 18a, etc. of the present device are maintained in the arrangement illustrated by means of an elongated member 19 formed with downturned end pieces 20 which are screwed or welded to the feet 12 of the base, the member 19 tightly engaging the magnets 18a, etc. and securing them against the horizontal upper surface of the base 10.

The elongated member 19, which is so formed as to present an upwardly projecting ridge 21 of inverted V- section, serves the further purpose of engaging in the notches 22 formed in the lower edges of the cards 16. Each card 16 is provided, centrally of its lower portion and extending to the lower edge 17, with a magnetic area 24 which may suitably consist in a thin strip of soft iron inserted between the paper lamina of which the card'is constructed. However, the details of the magnetic area form no part of the present invention. The notches 22 are formed centrally of the lower edges of the magnetic areas 24 and, therefore, cent-rally of the lower edges 17 of the cards 16. Preferably, further notches 25 and 26 are provided, similar to the notch 22 but disposed one on either side thereof.

As explained above, the tendency of a card disposed edgewise in a device of the character described is to move endwise in its plane, so that its magnetic area will overhang somewhat beyond one of the side edges of the magnet 18. However, engagement of the notch 22 of the card with the ridge 21 provided by the elongated member 19 will prevent such endwise movement of the card. Thus, all of the cards are normally maintained in alignment, presenting a neat appearance. If, however, it is desired to displace one or more cards laterally, for purposes of ready reference, or for any reason, such cards may be slightly lifted and moved endwise so that a notch 25 or 26 is engaged with the ridge 21. Magnetic attraction between the magnet 18 and the magnetic area 24 of such card will maintain it in the adjusted position until it is manually moved.

Since all of the cards are under the influence of the same pole of the magnet 18, like poles will be induced in the magnetic areas of all cards. This causes them to spread apart by reason of the force of magnetic repulsion, and to assume a fan-like relationship as illustrated in FIGURE 1. In this position, the upper lines of information on each card may be easily observed without manipulation of the cards.

When the number of cards currently used in the device is considerably smaller than the normal capacity of the device, a stop or auxiliary end piece 27 may be employed. The member 27 is preferably made of ferrous material and comprises a base flange 28 which will adhere firmly to the magnet 18, thus retaining the auxiliary end piece 27 in the position to which it is adjusted.

The above-mentioned tendency of the external field of a magnet to attract magnetic objects so as to provide the easiest path between the poles of the magnet will result naturally, in the case of the instant device, in orienting the magnetic areas 24, and thus the cards 16, at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the device. A group of cards installed in the device will thus remain, indefinitely, in the approximate relationship illustrated in FIG- URE 1 except that if the group of cards is much smaller than the space provided, one ortwo cards at each end of the group may tend to fall into a horizontal position. The purpose of the auxiliary end piece 27 is to prevent this from happening by adjusting the space used to the number of cards occupying such space.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an alternative form of card 30 provided with a magnetic area 24 and a notch 22 similar to those of the cards 16. and 26 of the card 16, however, the card 30 is provided with undercut notches 31 and 32 adapted to engage over the rails (not shown) of a different form of card filing device. In the present case, however, the cards 30 may be used interchangeably with the cards 16..

In place of the notches 25 Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A card filing device comprising, in combination, a flat rectangular base having a horizontal upper surface, an elongated permanent magnet of uniform cross section secured in fixed position on said surface and extending from end to end substantially centrally thereof and parallel to said surface, said magnet having its poles directed toward and away from said surface, respectively, a plurality of cards supported in edgewise position on said base and extending transversely of said magnet in mutual faceto-face relation, each said card having a magnetic area adjacent its lower edge and in substantial vertical alignment with said magnet, and co-operating means on said base and said cards to restrain said cards against lateral translational movements caused by the magnetic influence of said magnet said magnet comprising a plurality of small permanent magnets arranged side by side with their like poles directed in like directions, said cooperating means on said base comprising arigid, elongated member overlying said plurality of small magnets and holding them tightly against said base, said member being secured at its ends to said base, said cooperating means also comprising a notch in the adjacent edge of each said card, said notch fitting over said elongated member.

2. A device according to claim 1, each said card hav-' ing an additional notch adapted to fit over said elongated member whereby the lateral position of said card relative to said magnet may be manually adjusted.

' 3. A device according to claim 1, each said card having two additional notches each adapted to fit over said elongated member, one of said additional notches being disposed laterally on either side of said first notch, whereby the lateral position of said card relative to said magnet may be manually adjusted in either direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,350,665 8/1920 Muller 129-46 2,341,639 2/1944 Mathiesen 129-16 2,577,460 12/ 1951 Gottschalk 129-16.1 2,762,373 9/1956 Rosenberg 129-16 3,033,208 5/1962 Mathiesen l2916 FOREIGN PATENTS 631,466 11/ 1949 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CARD FILLING DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLAT RECTANGULAR BASE HAVING A HORIZONTAL UPPER SURFACE, AN ELONGATED PERMANENT MAGNET OF UNIFORM CROSS SECTION SECURED TO FIXED POSITION ON SAID SURFACE AND EXTENDING FROM END TO END SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY THEREOF AND PARALLEL TO SAID SURFACE, SAID MAGNET HAVING ITS POLES DIRECTED TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID SURFACE, RESPECTIVELY, A PLURALITY OF CARDS SUPPORTED IN EDGEWISE POSITIONS ON SAID BASE AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID MAGNET IN MUTUAL FACETO-FACE RELATION, EACH SAID CARD HAVING A MAGNETIC AREA ADJACENT ITS LOWER EDGE AND IN SUBSTANTIAL VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID MAGNET, AND CO-OPERATING MEANS ON SAID BASE AND SAID CARDS TO RESTRAIN SAID CARDS AGAINST LATERAL TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENTS CAUSED BY THE MAGNETIC INFLUENCE OF SAID MAGNET SAID MAGNET COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SMALL PERMANENT MAGNETS ARRANGED SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEIR LIKE POLES DIRECTED IN LIKE DIRECTIONS, SAID COOPERATING MEANS ON SAID BASE COMPRISING A RIGID, ELONGATED MEMBER OVERLYING SAID PLURALITY OF SMALL MAGNETS AND HOLDING THEM TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID BASE, SAID MEMBER BEING SECURED AT ITS ENDS TO SAID BASE, SAID COOPERATING MEANS ALSO COMPRISING A NOTCH IN THE ADJACENT EDGE OF EACH SAID CARD, SAID NOTCH FITTING OVER SAID ELONGATED MEMBER. 